Sat. I picked up ingredents for an Irish Red Ale. How long can I keep the crushed grains before I brew? What temp? It will be a partial extract brew. Extract is in the vegie bin in the fridg.
Crushed Grain Storage
- Thread starter C-Rider
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
erikpete18
Well-Known Member
Keep them sealed somewhere and they should be good for at least a week, if not two. If its going to be longer than that before you can get to them, I don't see how it could hurt tossing them sealed into the fridge. Although, just remember to factor the grain temp into your strike water if you don't warm them up first :cross:
Kaz
Well-Known Member
I got a few recipe kits for Christmas that all came with crushed grains. I vacuumed sealed them with our food saver and used them by the end of February. I think if you can vacuum pack them and keep them somewhere cool and dry (not fridge) they'll do for a month or so.
ultravista
Well-Known Member
I bought two kits from Brewmasters Warehouse. I was told the crushed grains (in a sealed bag) would last for months.
???
???
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2008
- Messages
- 64,951
- Reaction score
- 16,516
If they are relatively sealed (not neccissarily vaccuum) and kept cool; they'll last for months.
It's not ideal, but don't believe you need to use them within a week. I've made beer that scored very well in BJCP comps after letting crushed grain sit in a sealed plastic bag at ~60*F for a couple months....
It's not ideal, but don't believe you need to use them within a week. I've made beer that scored very well in BJCP comps after letting crushed grain sit in a sealed plastic bag at ~60*F for a couple months....
erikpete18
Well-Known Member
Apparently I underestimated the stability of crushed grain 
. I guess I just never let it sit around that long 
. I guess I just never let it sit around that long Mike_A
Well-Known Member
I have a question, what actually happens to them if they "go bad"? Taste-wise and chemically?
erikpete18
Well-Known Member
I think its mostly an oxidative process, which is why sealing them prevents a lot of the problem. Crushing them exposes a lot more of the malt to the outside air, and if you just left them sitting out they would eventually oxidize. The taste I've always heard is kind of like you would expect stale bread to taste, a little cardboardy like beer can get.
erikpete18 - I think you are confusing oxidation of the beer post-fermentation with oxidation of the grains. Introducing oxygen into finished beer will lead to "cardboard" flavours given enough months. If uncrushed malt is good for 1 year+ and the ideal crush cuts it into around 3-4 peices, there should not be a huge increase in surface area and you should be able to expect months, if not years, of storage life. My LHBS is 1.5 hours away and I usually pick up 4 batches at once, so the last ones usually sit around for 2-3 weeks before I get a chance to make them. No problems so far.
OP
OP
Thanks guys, I think you're all guys.
Think I'll brew the ale on Thursday to be on the safe side.
Think I'll brew the ale on Thursday to be on the safe side.
erikpete18
Well-Known Member
Oh yeah, I think you can definitely get quite a while (sounds like at least months) out of crushed grains, the time frame I mentioned earlier was just from my own experience since I was never able to let them sit around longer without brewing with them . I've actually never heard of anyone having trouble with crushed grains going bad, so I'm not sure if its something we worry too much about, or we're just generally pretty good at storing our grains.
I think the trouble with crushing over uncrushed is you're opening up the malt grain shell, which is normally a pretty good protector. Once you've gone and crushed it, you're exposing the interior - good for mashing, bad for staling. Cardboard was probably a bad description anyways since that is the typical beer off-flavor. If you've ever had olive oil go bad on you, I imagine its kinda like that (again, just guessing). Oxidized olive oil gets a stale flavor, drys out the back of your mouth kind of a feeling.
But like others have mentioned, I think we do pretty good about storing our grain (stick it in a bag, tie it up, and toss it somewhere relatively cool) and probably don't have much to worry about. Although, when I crush this weekend, maybe I'll set aside 0.5 lb and leave it sitting out on the counter. Come by every few days and taste a little, see if I can ever tell a difference!
. I've actually never heard of anyone having trouble with crushed grains going bad, so I'm not sure if its something we worry too much about, or we're just generally pretty good at storing our grains. I think the trouble with crushing over uncrushed is you're opening up the malt grain shell, which is normally a pretty good protector. Once you've gone and crushed it, you're exposing the interior - good for mashing, bad for staling. Cardboard was probably a bad description anyways since that is the typical beer off-flavor. If you've ever had olive oil go bad on you, I imagine its kinda like that (again, just guessing). Oxidized olive oil gets a stale flavor, drys out the back of your mouth kind of a feeling.
But like others have mentioned, I think we do pretty good about storing our grain (stick it in a bag, tie it up, and toss it somewhere relatively cool) and probably don't have much to worry about. Although, when I crush this weekend, maybe I'll set aside 0.5 lb and leave it sitting out on the counter. Come by every few days and taste a little, see if I can ever tell a difference!
OP
OP
Oh yeah, I think you can definitely get quite a while (sounds like at least months) out of crushed grains, the time frame I mentioned earlier was just from my own experience since I was never able to let them sit around longer without brewing with them
I think the trouble with crushing over uncrushed is you're opening up the malt grain shell, which is normally a pretty good protector. Once you've gone and crushed it, you're exposing the interior - good for mashing, bad for staling. Cardboard was probably a bad description anyways since that is the typical beer off-flavor. If you've ever had olive oil go bad on you, I imagine its kinda like that (again, just guessing). Oxidized olive oil gets a stale flavor, drys out the back of your mouth kind of a feeling.
But like others have mentioned, I think we do pretty good about storing our grain (stick it in a bag, tie it up, and toss it somewhere relatively cool) and probably don't have much to worry about. Although, when I crush this weekend, maybe I'll set aside 0.5 lb and leave it sitting out on the counter. Come by every few days and taste a little, see if I can ever tell a difference!
Thanks. I'm gonna do the brewing on Thursday.
kurtism
Well-Known Member
I had a similar issue...
i picked up some grains and had them crushed for the cookie dough beer but because of work issues, i didn't brew on the day i wanted to. as per my LHBS in brooklyn...sealed (not vacuumed), they recommended a week to 10 days. i ended up using them about 2 weeks later and so far, there seems to be no issue with flavors in the brew but I won't really know till the end. its good to hear others have had luck keeping them longer and no off flavors.
i guess the answer here is to buy my own grain mill. i tell you, home brewing is tough in a small nyc apartment.
i picked up some grains and had them crushed for the cookie dough beer but because of work issues, i didn't brew on the day i wanted to. as per my LHBS in brooklyn...sealed (not vacuumed), they recommended a week to 10 days. i ended up using them about 2 weeks later and so far, there seems to be no issue with flavors in the brew but I won't really know till the end. its good to hear others have had luck keeping them longer and no off flavors.
i guess the answer here is to buy my own grain mill. i tell you, home brewing is tough in a small nyc apartment.
Darn, looks like you have enough brewed to keep you busy for a spell. Once you get rid of some in the bottles you should have some more room. I think a Mill is a good idea, if and when I can afford one. Till then I will just try to order only enough to use up quickly. Fortunately some of the suppliers offer free shipping, so that really helps. If I cant get free freight I usually keep looking until I am forced to order from them. I have never been forced yet, too many suppliers want your money to not be able to name your terms, especially in these tough economic times. Good luck on your next batch, and let us know how it turns out and how long you kept the grain before use.
Bob
